The Tomcat is the model that everyone loves to build. I dare say that there are few modelers who haven't at one time or another built an F-14 kit. I know that I have built quite a few in my life, both in 1/72 and 1/48.

Part of that appeal is the seemingly neverending availability of decal sheets covering the many varied and colorful markings that have been applied to the Tomcat. As nice as the F-15 and F-16 are, they just haven't been blessed with the variety of the schemes applied to the F-14.

Repliscale is a company that for a few brief years, produced some very high quality sheets. I think their demise was due to the size of the sheets that they offered. Most didn't fill the now standard sized envelope and though the sheets adequately covered the subjects, one expects a full sheet. 

What Repliscale did was to not print common markings as one finds on most other sheets, and this shrinks down the size of the sheet.

Included in this sheet are three schemes.

The first one is for the now disestablished Texas reserve unit, VF-201. As were many of the Tomcats in the mid/late 1980's, this one is painted in overall FS 16440, gloss gull grey. The gloss grey makes a very nice background for some of the more colorful schemes carried by the F-14.

Next are two schemes for the very short lived (about 6 months) squadron VF-191. The first is a very nice overall 16440 aircraft. The other scheme available on this sheet is for one in the Tactical Paint Scheme (TPS), with low viz grey markings. This later scheme has no intake warning stripes, so it is possible to build two kits with the markings provided on this one sheet.

Other common placard markings are not supplied and will have to be taken from other sources.

Overall, a nice sheet for an equally nice aircraft.

Review copy courtesy of me and my wallet!! If any of you manufacturers or shop owners want to send products for review and building, please contact me.